Lost and Found
by BondSlave
Summary: Ayame has a total break down...and guess who is there to support him. Just because I was bored and had nothing else to do.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or any related characters, themes or places. **

**Authors Note: I got my new laptop today, a Dell Inspiron mini. It is very adorable and white. So I've decided to try it out, only downfall for this little baby is the fact I can't seem to change the background. But salavi. Now on with the one shot. **

**Summary: Ayame looses his identity and spirals into depression, and who should be there to pick him back up? Surprisingly the last person Ayame would have expected. **

Lost and Found

I watched him from the doorway, unsure of what to do. Should I leave, seeing as he had not noticed me? Or should I see if he was okay? There he sat on the plush red velvet seat, surrounded by shelves of materals and manicans showing off the beautiful creations he had spent working hours, days and weeks upon. I felt an involentary shiver run down my spine at what I saw. This could not possibly be my cousin Ayame Sohma...this...broken man could not even be considered a pale image of his former self.

He was hunched over, practically curled in on himself, elbows resting upon his lifted knees, nearly silent sobs shaking his delicate yet masculan shoulders. He was clad in black cotton pants, white shoes and a lavander button up shirt. On any other occation I would have thought he looked amazingly beautiful in the masculan yet still flamboyent outfit. But now, now I could not for there was one flaw with his appearance; his hair. Usually so beautifully clean and silky, flowing along his form in beautiful arches...but no more. His hair hung, butchered about his face, falling only an inch below his chin. My heart pained me as I gazed at my cousin, he had lost the thing that ment most to him, his pride. What happened? What had taken place mere hours ago?

*

_We had all been visiting together at Shigure's house, Hatori, Kisa, Momiji myself and Ayame. It was White Day, and we had all decided to get together for a visit. I originally had, had no idea that such an event had been planned; that is until Momiji arrived on my doorstep at seven in the morning, rambling on and on excitedly how Tohru had invited me to come and join the White Day celebration. I had been a little unshure at first to say the least, not believing myself worthy enough to visit again so soon after my last visit and thus refused...that was at least until Mitsuru, my current girlfriend said I should go; of course she then shoved a piece of paper in my hand and said to deliever it to Shigure for her. So, that is how i ended up sitting down at the table with a warm cup of tea sharing in coversation with my cousins and friends. _

_While we visited Hatori announced that Akito had summoned Ayame. This had brought looks of surprise upon all of our faces, but mostly Ayames. I remember gazing at him, tea raised and hovering inches from my lips, forgotten. Though all of us wore looks of surprise, none of our faces could compare to the look upon Ayames face. "Akito wishes to see me?" He questioned in astonishment. "What on earth for?"_

_Hatori said he did not know Akito's reasoning, but that Ayame would return to the main Sohma house with him once the visit was over. We were still all a little baffled. After all, Ayame and Akito had never interacted besides at the New Year parties, and even then only a polite hello and goodbye were passed. _

*

I felt myself inch away from the door preparing to leave, but the sound of a broken sob halted my retreat. I nibbled at my lip and held my bag close to my chest before entering the shop. It was still very early spring, but the shop door was left open to allow a cool refeshing breeze into the shop. I approached timidly. "Aya?" I asked quietly, my voice trembling just slightly with uncertainy. He gasped his head snapping up before he turned and gazed at me, golden eyes wide and slightly swollen as tears slid down the corners. He sniffed, quickly whiping at his eyes and standing up. I stepped back slightly, his hight a bit intimidating.

"Ritsu...w-what are you doing here?"

I timidly cocked my shoulders and gazed at him.

"I...I'm sorry if i'm b-b-bothering you but, Aya...a-are you okay?"

He sniffed again, uncharacteristically wipping his nose on his lavander sleeve.

"Of course I am, what makes you think I'm not?"

I admired him for trying to be so brave--of course I admired everything about him. He was after all, the most amazing person I knew. A fit of guilt washed over me as this thought drifted into my mind. After all, all of my cousins were amazing, not just Ayame. I was brought back to the present by a choked sobbed escaping my cousins throat.

"Akito he...he...." He lifted a unsteady hand to his trembling lips as more tears washed down his cheeks.

"W-what did he do Aya?" I asked timidly. I felt like breaking down from the anxiety that was washing over me but knew, knew I had to be strong for my dear cousin. He shook his head eyes closing tightly.

"He raped Yuki...."

My eyes widened and my mouth fell open as my cousin collapsed back onto the bench. I knelt down in front of him.

"He...h-he...." I couldn't even bring myself to repeat what he had said. "W-when?"

"Six months before he moved in with Shigure...he...he wanted to talk to me because...he's planning on making him move back in....and...and he wanted me to help him."

"Oh, Aya. No, no, no, no I'm so, so, so sorry." I said shaky my head. "Oh my god...Ayame...I...I won't let Yuki go back there."

He lifted his head and gazed at me. Tears had began sliding down my own cheeks. "We will not allow him to go back to that house."

"Ritsu?"

I smiled through the tears and leaned back, reaching my hand into a near by basket, pulling out a pair of sowing sissors. I lifted them and held them up to my cousin.

"Aya, could you do me a small favore?"

He took the sissors and held them, looking at me questioningly. "Will you cut my hair?"

**Authors Note: Yeah I don't know. I was really just bored. Oh, and forgive any spelling erros, the wordpad on my new laptop doesn't seem to have a spell check. **


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